Apparatus for treating ores.



.YTENTED MAY 25i 1995i.

we A. Emm.

APFARATUS FR TRSTG ORES Brummen ULEB Nov, 2s, 1906.

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o a tauf PATBNTBD MAY 26, 1908. W. A. HENDRYX= RATUS FOR TREATING GRES.APPLIGATION FILED Nov.2e,190.

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2 SHEETS-SBEET 2 adapted for the separation of' purr WILBUR ALseiyHENDRYXOF DENVER, COLORADO.

1 APPARATUS FOR TREATING GRES.

no. ascuas.

Spelpifcation of Letters Patent.

)Patented May 26, 1908.

Application November 26, 1906. Serial No. 345,152;

To all whom it may com'e'ijgt-.l

Bel it 'known that I, Wiinnn ALsioN HEN- Dnrx, a citizen oftheUnitedfffStates,residing at Hotel Metropole, in thezc'ity of Denver, 1nthe county of Denver and'State of Colorado, have invented new and usefulimprovements in Ap aratus for Treating Orcs, of which the foi owing is aspeeiiifcation.

ln my prior patent No. 785,214, granted March 21, 1905, i have describedand claimed an apparatus for treating ores com rising a tank forcontaining ore pulp, e ectrodes therein, and acrating means constructedto -liftvportions of the pulp and distribute the saine in contact withthe atmosphere.

The present invention relates to an 1inprovement upon this constructionas appliedl to certain uses, wherebyv the electrodes are rendered moreaccessible, the electric, current is automatically interrupted uponcessation of the agitation or aeration of the pulp, and other importantadvantages are secured. For a full understanding of my inventionreference is made to the accom anying drawings showing a form of tan rpartlcularl precious meta s from their cyanid solutions.

In said drawings-Figure 1 is a central ver-l tical section of thepreferred form of tank,

"Fig 2 1s a plan view of the same; and Fig. 3 is a vertical section onan enlarged scale through the electrodes on line 3 3 of Flg. 2.

Referring to the drawings, l represents a tank, herein indicatedascylindrical and pro- Vwhirling of the upwardly vided with a conicalbottom 2, 3, 3, being the supporting timbers `or the like. Centrallydisposed in the tank is a tubular casingfi, o en at both ends andcommunicating with t e tank through apertures-5 in a cageflike support6. The tank is provided wlth a bottom discharge aperture 7 controlled by`a valve 8 which may be operated from the top of the 'tank by a rod 9provided with a hand-.wheel 13, and connected through a sprocket chain9a with the downwardly extended stem 8a of the valve 8. Asliaft 10 isaxially' disposed in the casinge, mounted in upper and lower bearings12, and is rotatable by a pulley-1 1. This shaft carries helical blades1.4,sim1lar1n construction to those illustrated liii the patent abovelreferredto Stationary bnflies 15 are provided, extending radiallyinward from the casini7 for the purpose of preventing the 'moving columnof pulp and insuring its .delivery in a continuous f stream to ,allportionsl'pf the spreader 16.

.ing the cathodes in the usual manner.

.This spreader. comprises a conical annular apron encircling the upperportion of the tubular casing 4, suitablyl sup orted in the tank, andextendingl outwar y and downwardly nearly to the inner wall of the tankand slightly below its top. Radial ribs 17 in consisting of sheets, orpreferably of screens of a suitable inetal as iron, and the oathodes ofsheets of amalgamated copper. The current connections are made in seriesor parallel in any vdesired manner; as illustrated the several groups ofelectrodes are connected in series, the cathode of each group being inmetallic connection with the anode of one ofthe adjacent groups. Thecathodes preferably'curve upwardly near their outer ends as shownparticularly in Fig. 3, and the electrodes of'each group are spaced byparallel insulating bars 21 adjacent their edges; these bars extendrearwardly into contact with the radial ribs 17, and in conjunctiontherewith direct the entire stream of pulp over and `between theelectrodes. The u ward curvature .of the outer ends of t e cathodes ischiefly for the purpose of retard ing the outflow of the pulp to asufficient extent to insure that the anodes shall be imvmersed so longas the pulp is flowing.

The operation' of the apparatus as applied to the treatment of orescontaining the precious'gnetals by means of cyanid solutions is asfolrfws: The ore and' solution are charged into the tank in the form ofpulp and circulated'therein by rotation of the shaft 10. in

such. direction as to lift the pulp and diswith the atmosphere, thestream of pulp passing ever and between the several grou s of electrodes19, 20. The precious metas are thereby deposited upon the cathodes, andwhen they have accumulated thereon in sufficient quantity are readilyrecovered by lifting the anodes and scraping or bririlskllie cathodesmay then be rcainalga'mated, the anodes re laced, and the operationresumed, the tank eing discharged and rclilled from 'charge-it upon thespreader 16 incontact rendered available for inspection or for the timeto time. Whenever for any reason' circulation is sto ped the ulp ceasesto iloW upon the sprea er, and t e small quantity o4 liquid lying uponeach cathode rapidly drains therefrom, either beneath the spacing bars21 or through small apertures provided for the pur ose theelectriccircuit is thereby automatica y interrupted and the cathodes 1.Apparatus for treating ores, comprising a tank, means for continuouslyaerating the contents of said tank by lifting portions and moving themin a thin sheet or ilm in contact with the atmosphere, and electrodesdisposed in the ath ot said lifted portions.

2. Apparatus or treating ores, comprising a tank, a conical spreader forthe ore-pulp, a passage-way leading from the lower portion ot said tank.and discharging upon said spreader, means for circulating pul throughsaid passage-Way, and electrodes a ove said spreader.

3. Apparatus for treating ores, comprisingv a tank, a corneal spreaderfor the ore-pulp, a central passage-Way communicating with the lowerportion of said tank and discharging upon said s reader, means forcirculating pul throng said passage-Way, and electro es above saidspreader.

4. Apparatus for treating ores, comprising l a tank, a spreader for theore-pulp, a passage- Way leading from `the lower portion of said tankand discharging upon said spreader, means' for circulating pulp throughsaid passage Way, and electrodes u on said spreader and substantiallyparalle thereto. 5. Apparatus for treating ores, comprising a tank, acorneal spreader for the ore-pulp, a central passage-Way communicatingwith the lower portion of said tank and discharging upon said spreader,means for circulating pul through said passage-way, and electro es uponsaid spreader and substantially parallel thereto.

`6. Apparatus for treating ores, comprising a tank, a spreader for theore-pulp, a passage- Way leading from the lower portion of said tank anddischarging upon said spreader, means for circulating pulp through saidpassage-Way, electrodes above said spreader, a central discharge: Valvefor said tank, and means Vbelow said Valve for actuating the same.

. 7. Apparatus for treating ores, comprising a tank, means forcontinuously, aerating the contents of said tank by lifting ortions anddistributing them in contact Wit i the atmosphere, electrodes disposedin the path of said ifted portions, a central discharge valve for saidtank, and means below said valve for actuating the same.

In testimonyT whereofl affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

WILBUR ALSON HENDRYX.

Witnesses THEoDoRA WnLLs, CHAs.l R. DAVIEs.

